Towards a neuroethological approach to consciousness.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci November 13, 2025 Yuranny Cabral-Calderin, Julio Hechavarria, Lucia Melloni 2 citations
Consciousness is not unique to humans; it likely exists in other animals and varies along a continuum shaped by evolution. To understand consciousness more fully, research should adopt a neuroethological perspective based on Tinbergen's four questions: mechanism, development, adaptive function, and evolutionary origin. This approach moves beyond studying only human adults and can help investigate consciousness in infants, non-human animals, and other entities. Adopting this broader view has important scientific, ethical, and societal implications.